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sufficiently extensive; and no manufactures were introduced. Had trades or manufactures been planted in the islands before the southern districts engrossed the field, a general and permanent amelioration might have been effected in the condition of the people. Though alien at first to their habits and predilections, they would gradually have assimilated to their lowland countrymen in industrial progress, and might have surmounted the disadvantages of soil and climate.

The next chapter in Hebridean history shows a complete reversal of the former policy, yet with results much the same. We have, since the date of Johnson's visit, made a circuit of near eighty years, and have returned to the same point. The proprietors at length ceased to check emigration. Sheep-husbandry was rapidly extending, roads were made, a high class of tenants was obtained, and the large farms were managed with admirable skill and perseverance. The people, ont he other hand, when less required to stay, became less disposed to emigrate. The more active and enterprising part of the population was gone. The epidemic had ceased, the wars were over, and so long as herrings visited the lochs, or potatoes flourished on the soil, or the kelp manufacture gave a few weeks' profitable occupation in summer, contentment or listlessness prevailed. There was no stringent poor-law to force attention as to the population; small crofts, or patches of land, were easily obtained and subdivided at will; and hence the little turf-huts multiplied on the hill-side and moors, the standard of civilisation sunk lower, and the population, despite all military and emigrant drains, was doubled in amount. Thus, gradually but inevitably, as the people increased, thousands of families came to depend almosts wholly on one article of food. That failed, and the sequel is well known. A destitution crisis commenced in 1846 unequalled for intensity, and which involved both chief and clan, landlord and tenant, in irretrievable embarrassment and ruin. A second period of transition, more painful than that witnessed by Johnson in 1773,

was induced, and though the immediate distress was mitigated by the munificent generosity of the British nation, there seems to be only one remedy or palliative, for the chronic maladyemigration.

Many of the old families commemorated by Johnson and Boswell, have disappeared from the islands. Some have dropt off from natural and unavoidable causes; some through sheer folly and extravagance; and others have gone down while struggling to support and replace their dependents. In Rasay, Ulva, and Inchkenneth, the ancient familiar names are no longer heard: " new people fill the land." In Skye, the "Siol Tormod" of Dunvegan, and the descendant of Somerled of the Isles, still hold their possessions; and the Macleans of Coll retain their island patrimony, but all have been grievously shattered by the late storm. To a Scotsman, no more melancholy books were ever published than those "Blue Books," printed by authority of Parliament, in which is recorded the recent history of the Western Islands.

To note some of these changes and supply local information, has been the main object of the Editor of this new edition of Boswell's Journal. In order to verify facts and dates, he had to conult various parties; and though it may appear ostentatious or vidiculous to parade a list of names before so small a literary performance, he cannot deny himself the gratification of stating that to the following gentlemen queries were addressed, and, in every instance, courteous and satisfactory answers returned: viz., Macleod, of Macleod; Sheriff Fraser, of Portree; A. K. Mackinnon, Esq., Corry; D. Macleod, Esq., Kingsburgh; Rev. J. Maciver, of Kilmuir; Rev. D. Ross, of Tobermory; Rev. H. Maclean, of Lochalsh; R. Sinclair, Esq., Borlumbeg; Niel Maclean, Esq., Inverness; W. A. Stables, Esq., Cawdor; and W. Forsyth, Esq., Aberdeen.

Inverness, March 29, 1852.

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AUGUST 27.-Leonidas. Paul Whitehead. Derrick. Origin of evil. Calder manse.
Reasonableness of ecclesiastical subscription. Family worship
AUGUST 28.-Fort George. Sir Adolphus Oughton. Contest between Warburton
and Lowth. Dinner at Sir Eyre Coote's. Arab and English soldiers compared.
The stage. Mr. Garrick, Mrs. Cibber, Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Clive. Inverness
AUGUST 29.-Macbeth's Castle. Incorrectness of writers of travels. Coinage of
new words. Dr. Johnson's Dictionary

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AUGUST 30.-Dr. Johnson on horseback. A Highland hut. Fort Augustus.
Governor Trapaud

AUGUST 31.-Anoch. Emigration. Goldsmith. Poets and soldiers compared.
Life of a sailor. Landlord's daughter at Anoch

SEPTEMBER 1.-Glensheal. The Macraes. Dr. Johnson's anger at being left for

a little while by the author on a wild plain. Wretched inn at Glenelg
SEPTEMBER 2.-Dr. Johnson relents. Isle of Sky. Armidale
SEPTEMBER 3.-Colonel Montgomery, now Earl of Eglintoune
SEPTEMBER 4.-Ancient Highland enthusiasm

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SEPTEMBER 5.-Sir James Macdonald's epitaph and last letter to his mother. Dr.
Johnson's Latin ode on the Isle of Sky. Isaac Hawkins Browne
SEPTEMBER 6.-Corrichatachin. Highland hospitality and mirth. Dr. Johnson's
Latin ode to Mrs. Thrale
SEPTEMBER 7.-Uneasy state of dependence on the weather. State of those who
live in the country. Dr. Macpherson's Dissertations. Second sight
SEPTEMBER 8.-Rev. Mr. Donald Macqueen. Mr. Malcolm Macleod.
Rasay. Fingal. Homer. Elegant and gay entertainment at Rasay

SEPTEMBER 9.-Antiquity of the family of Rasay. Cure of infidelity

SEPTEMBER 10.-Survey of the island of Rasay. Bentley. Mallet.

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SEPTEMBER 16,-Dr. Johnson's hereditary melancholy. His minute knowledge in
various arts. Apology for the author's ardour in his pursuits. Dr. Johnson's
imaginary seraglio. Polygamy .
SEPTEMBER 17.-Cunning. Whether great abilities are necessary to be wicked.
Temple of the Goddess Anaitis. Family portraits. Records not consulted by
old English historians. Mr. Pennant's Tours criticised
SEPTEMBER 18.-Ancient residence of a Highland chief. Languages the pedigree
of nations. Laird of the Isle of Muck
SEPTEMBER 19.-Choice of a wife. Women an over-match for men. Lady Grange
in St. Kilda, Poetry of savages. French literati. Prize-fighting. French
and English soldiers. Duelling.
SEPTEMBER 20.-Change of London manners. Laziness censured. Landed and
traded interest compared. Gratitude considered

SEPTEMBER 21.-Description of Dunvegan, Lord Lovat's pyramid. Ride to Ulinish.

Phipps's voyage to the North Pole

SEPTEMBER 22.-Subterraneous house and vast cave in Ulinish. Swift's Lord

Orrery. Defects as well as virtues the proper subject of biography, though the

life was written by a friend. Studied conclusions of letters. Whether allow-

able in dying men to maintain resentment to the last. Instructions for writing

the lives of literary men. Fingal denied to be genuine, and pleasantly ridiculed 187

SEPTEMBER 23.-Further disquisition concerning Fingal. Eminent men discovered
by a new mode of public appearance. Garrick. Mrs. Montagu's Essay on
Shakspeare. Persons of consequence watched in London. Learning of the
Scots from 1550 to 1650. The arts of civil life little known in Scotland till the
Union. Life of a sailor. The folly of Peter the Great in working in a dock-
yard. Arrive at Talisker. Presbyterian clergy deficient in learning
SEPTEMBER 24.-French hunting. Young Col. Dr. Birch. Dr. Percy. Lord
Hailes. Historical impartiality. Whiggism unbecoming in a clergyman
SEPTEMBER 25.-Every island a prison. A Sky cottage. Return to Corrichatachin.
Good-fellowship carried to excess
SEPTEMBER 26.-Morning review of Last night's intemperance. Old Kingsburgh's
Jacobite song. Lady Margaret Macdonald adored in Sky. Different views of
the same subject at different times. Self-deception
SEPTEMBER 27.-Dr. Johnson's popularity in the Isle of Sky. His good-humoured
gaiety with a Highland lady

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SEPTEMBER 28.-Ancient Irish pride of family. Dr. Johnson on threshing and
thatching. Dangerous to increase the price of labour. Arrive at Ostig. Dr.
Macpherson's Latin poetry.

SEPTEMBER 29,-Rev. Mr. Macpherson. Shenstone.

Hanbury Williams

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